The Houston Texans' defensive line received a significant boost with news that veteran defensive tackle Brandon Dunn and his fractured pelvis have been medically cleared for upcoming training camp.
"I had a fracture in my hip," said Dunn via Aaron Wilson. "It’s been a long journey and I’ve handled it and basically taken care of it the whole offseason. I feel 100 percent now and I’m ready to compete."
The 28-year-old, who began his NFL career with the Chicago Bears, has spent six seasons in Houston during which he has forged himself an important role as both key backup and occasional starter.
With the departure of D.J. Reader last offseason, Dunn was set to play a much larger role in 2020. He did just that for the majority of the year, starting 13 consecutive games before suffering his injury against the Bears.
Now ready to return, Dunn is training for what should be a big year for the former Louisville Cardinal.
With so many changes to this Texans' roster over the past few months, very few players remain from the old regime on defense. As such, Dunn's experience could prove vital in 2021 if they are to solidify a front full of new faces that had already struggled for consistency last season.
That being said, Houston has made it abundantly clear these past few months that nobody on this roster is safe. And as is the case with every position, this depth chart has been built for competition, meaning Dunn will have to prove he deserves to be one of the few survivors from the Texans of old.
More must-reads: